any reason to avoid a '76?, other than smog Options

[vitaminC]

Yes, I am still looking for "the one" (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) Patience is not really my strong suit, but I'm trying to avoid bringing home something I will regret later.

This 76 has been FS for a while now, and it looks to be in pretty good condition. Yes, I prefer yellow.

Initially I was trying to steer clear of the '76 since it will need smog here in CA, but maybe it's not really a huge issue? Is it difficult to keep them going in such a way that they'll pass smog and still run reliably?

Thanks for all the replies so far, I do appreciate it.

[Cupomeat]

What I know;

1. CA requires not only that the car passes emissions but that the Smog equipment has not been removed. The air injection equipment can be hard to find (replace) when it breaks.

2. Later cars had some structural updates which makes them superior in strength to the early cars (ask someone how much they had to cut to get a six oil tank in a later car) but they do weigh more with the bigger impact bumpers.

3. ALL 76s were 2.0l cars which is good, but the emissions equipment reduced thier output (88 hp). Still more than the 1.8, but less than the 73-74 USA 2.0l (95hp). This can be realtively easily corrected with high comp pistons or 2056cc kit.

4. The later cars have seat belt interlock on them in which you can start the car unless you are sitting in the seat with the seatbelt on. Usually this has been disabled (I've never seen a working one)

5. Later cars have less standard equipment which doesn't really matter to you as you can just buy the options from people on 914world and add them in.

I hope this helped.